We have seen several key players come and go at Arsenal in recent years. Losing Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri was tough to take last summer, but Robin Van Persie's move to Manchester United hurt a lot more.
Fabregas was always going to return to Barcelona at some point in his career, regardless of whether we were winning trophies or not. Nasri's move was frustrating but he wasn't irreplaceable and it didn't frustrate fans quite as much as the latest saga has.
When talks of Van Persie leaving began, I remained hopeful he would stay. Although Wenger isn't known as a big spender, I thought the board would at least allow him the funds to offer Van Persie whatever deal it took to keep him.
The scenario of a key player looking to leave was all too familiar for us Arsenal fans. Lack of silverware over the last seven years hasn't helped and must have been playing on his mind, but I genuinely believed he would end up staying for at least one more year. A move to Manchester United doesn't necessarily guarantee that his wait for a trophy will end but maybe he felt it was time for a new challenge. Money may well have influenced his decision too, but only Van Persie himself will know the true reasons!
Arsene Wenger stuck by RVP through some tough times. Even when he kept being struck down by injury, Wenger stayed loyal to the striker and even gave him the captaincy for the 2011/12 season when another manager might have taken different action. Wenger helped make Van Persie into the top class player that he is, but I just wish we could hold onto our top talent better.
But I think one of the aspects that makes it hardest to take is the timing of it all. Van Persie released a statement on his official website on July 4 indicating that he would not be signing a new deal, yet he didn't leave the club until a few days before the new season was due to start. Having your best player leave so close to the start of a new season is bad for morale, so I can only hope that the players can respond quickly.
I think the club should have make more effort to tie players down to longer deals before they get into the final year of their contract. I hope Wenger sorts this to avoid any similar situations arising next time. But at the same time, you can't force a player to stay. In the modern game, money talks more than loyalty or even trophies and clubs are not immune from financial problems and have to be careful.
Wenger has come in for a lot of criticism as he keeps selling star players. I can't hide my frustration but I also have a degree of sympathy for our boss as there is only so much you can do. You cannot force a player to stay and even the best persuasion techniques might not be enough! Earlier in the summer Van Persie's father had been quoted as saying his son would not join another Premier League club, and other reports suggested he was settled in London.
I kept expecting Juventus to be his destination if he left. Yet Van Persie did join another English club which may make some people question how much he loved our club. I believe he did truly love our club but the way he left and the timing has left a bitter taste in the mouth of some fans. He should have said more to the fans and properly explained his reasons but this is the modern football era, money talks more than loyalty these days!
No trophies in seven years and key players leaving is unacceptable, but we mustn't forget all the positive work Wenger has done. The trophies he won in his earlier years, the year of the Invincibles, buying players cheap and selling for huge profit and great work with youngsters. The likes of Jack Wilshere might not have become a first team regular as early at another club and it's great to see players such as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain developing into quality players.
The other difference with Wenger this time around is he had already spent over 30 million on new players prior to Van Persie's departure. It is too early to say if the arrivals of Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla will prove the difference, but I am definitely glad we have added this depth to our squad. If Wenger can persuade Alex Song to stay it will be crucial as he can provide the assists for several goals.
It is important for the club and all the players to try and stay positive so we can avoid starting the new season as poorly as last time. We need a strong start!
It isn't all doom and gloom at Arsenal. Yes, losing a key player in yet another summer is frustrating but, if Wenger can lift the morale quickly, we do have a squad capable of challenging near the top. Ideally, we need to add another one or two more players. But if Wenger has spent the amounts Manchester City had in recent seasons players we rate so highly now such as Song may not have got regular game time.
So let's put this frustration behind us and put our energy into getting behind Wenger and the Arsenal boys! COYG!
